The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

Seibertronian podcaster and database master ScottyP has been helping us validate some rumours about the deluxe Premier Edition Transformers: The Last Knight Bumblebee figure: apparently, there are two versions of the toy, one with yellow, one with black (cue Childish Gambino homage). Check out the rundown below!

I'd heard some rumors about a deluxe Bumblebee variant, so I took a look for myself and yep, there is one. Behold - launch day purchase on the left, today's purchase on the right:



You can see the black paint not only gets onto the roof, but portions of the rear of the vehicle as well.

In robot mode there's no difference that's really noticeable. The shades of yellow are my lighting setup being crappy/me being not great at pictures. Trust me on this, the yellows are the same despite what it might look like here!

However, when it's in the package, the roof pieces are left flat on the back. I've posed these oddly to show you how you can identify the variant in the store. The easiest way is to look at the rear piece, as the black "leaks through" a bit even when viewed from the front. The roof panel itself can be helpful in this but it isn't as reliable.

Given that the assortment codes are the same, I don't know of any other way to identify them while in the store, outside of being a total prick and opening the package in the aisle (do not do this.)

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

[Carnivius_Prime]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

Now why couldn't they have skipped the repaint and just release the brand new Deluxe in wave 1?

[D-Maximal_Primal]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

Now why couldn't they have skipped the repaint and just release the brand new Deluxe in wave 1?

And made Hot Rod a wave 3 deluxe? That is a question no one can answer

[Solrac333]

And because of the extra paint, this is now $39.99. The Primeirier Edition.

[galvatron00]

And because of the extra paint, this is now $39.99. The Primeirier Edition.

Haha! +1 Zing!!

[Terrsolpix]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

If I did that, would I expect weird looks from the shop assistants like when I went through the 30 or so Tiny Turbo Changers they had on the pegs yesterday searching for Prime and Grimlock? I put all the unbought ones back on the pegs like a good tidy person though.

[bacem]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

If I did that, would I expect weird looks from the shop assistants like when I went through the 30 or so Tiny Turbo Changers they had on the pegs yesterday searching for Prime and Grimlock? I put all the unbought ones back on the pegs like a good tidy person though.

does molesting blind bags still counts as weird on US retails?

[Terrsolpix]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

If I did that, would I expect weird looks from the shop assistants like when I went through the 30 or so Tiny Turbo Changers they had on the pegs yesterday searching for Prime and Grimlock? I put all the unbought ones back on the pegs like a good tidy person though.

Tiny Turbos have a code on the back that just needs to be held up to the dimmest store light. Glad to see someone who also repegs them instead of throwing them in a box of the RID ones.

[Carnivius_Prime]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

If I did that, would I expect weird looks from the shop assistants like when I went through the 30 or so Tiny Turbo Changers they had on the pegs yesterday searching for Prime and Grimlock? I put all the unbought ones back on the pegs like a good tidy person though.

Tiny Turbos have a code on the back that just needs to be held up to the dimmest store light. Glad to see someone who also repegs them instead of throwing them in a box of the RID ones.

I was using that list but those letters are kinda embossed and very small and it's hard to get the right kind of light to make out the exact shape of the letter so it took a while and i had my phone perched up ontop on the shelf below displaying the list.

[Terrsolpix]

Just a small tip for variant identification. Shine a phone light into the package while having the phone cover the least amount of clear plastic as possible. That's how I got good paint applications on CW deluxes.

If I did that, would I expect weird looks from the shop assistants like when I went through the 30 or so Tiny Turbo Changers they had on the pegs yesterday searching for Prime and Grimlock? I put all the unbought ones back on the pegs like a good tidy person though.

does molesting blind bags still counts as weird on US retails?

Is not as bad ever since the Lego minifigure blind bags. I collect them and nobody bats an eye, mostly because I get them from an official store since it's cheaper that way. Also, Tiny Turbos tend to get bent in bag if too much force is applied.

[Bumblebee21]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

Now why couldn't they have skipped the repaint and just release the brand new Deluxe in wave 1?

And made Hot Rod a wave 3 deluxe? That is a question no one can answer

and take out all the dinobots but scorn, because theres no reason for them to be there

[william-james88]

does molesting blind bags still counts as weird on US retails?

I was in canada doing the same and I felt pretty weird. But I found my Soundwave!

[Carnivius_Prime]

and take out all the dinobots but scorn, because theres no reason for them to be there

I dunno about Grimlock. The voyager toy is still very good and now in a more accurate paintjob easy available in regular stores and he does appear a lot in the trailers so likely a key character in the film so if missed out on the AoE release which obviously isn't in shops now (and was only sold in Toys R Us here in the UK back then) then I can understand the redecoed re-release there. Just the price hike on it is the annoying bit.

[Bumblebee21]

and take out all the dinobots but scorn, because theres no reason for them to be there

I dunno about Grimlock. The voyager toy is still very good and now in a more accurate paintjob easy available in regular stores and he does appear a lot in the trailers so likely a key character in the film so if missed out on the AoE release which obviously isn't in shops now (and was only sold in Toys R Us here in the UK back then) then I can understand the redecoed re-release there. Just the price hike on it is the annoying bit.

i hate the mold. and its not selling either. went to a tru and saw 14 of him.

[Carnivius_Prime]

i hate the mold. and its not selling either. went to a tru and saw 14 of him.

You hate it? I love it. I think it's a great figure and one of the best toys for any Dinobot ever and looks cool in both modes. I still have my AoE version and am just waiting for the TLK one to get price reduced.

[william-james88]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

Now why couldn't they have skipped the repaint and just release the brand new Deluxe in wave 1?

And made Hot Rod a wave 3 deluxe? That is a question no one can answer

and take out all the dinobots but scorn, because theres no reason for them to be there

Theres a great reason: the molds already exist. They are an easy way to beef up a toyline without increasing the development cost.

[Bumblebee21]

Now why couldn't the paint have been added to the robot mode

Now why couldn't they have skipped the repaint and just release the brand new Deluxe in wave 1?

And made Hot Rod a wave 3 deluxe? That is a question no one can answer

and take out all the dinobots but scorn, because theres no reason for them to be there

Theres a great reason: the molds already exist. They are an easy way to beef up a toyline without increasing the development cost.

that space couldve gone to new characters we arent gonna get from the movie

[william-james88]

that space couldve gone to new characters we arent gonna get from the movie

Not if the budget doesnt allow it. We have no clue if it could have or not, the sacrifices that we made, and so on. For instance we know that the only reason Combiner Wars was even a thing was because John Warden showed Hasbro how a bunch of characters could be obtained from small amount of molds and designs and thats why it was greenlit.

The only thing I feel confident in bitching about would be things like having different paint apps on Voyager Optimus. So a reorientation of the budget.

But saying we would like new toys instead of repaints is an old duscussion that has already been talked to death.

The truth is, if the space didnt go to repaints, it would have gone to no one.

i hate the mold. and its not selling either. went to a tru and saw 14 of him.

You hate it? I love it. I think it's a great figure and one of the best toys for any Dinobot ever and looks cool in both modes. I still have my AoE version and am just waiting for the TLK one to get price reduced.

Spoilers, that voyager Grimlock is on my upcoming top 5 list of best grimlock toys

[Carnivius_Prime]

Spoilers, that voyager Grimlock is on my upcoming top 5 list of best grimlock toys

Grimlock pleased!

[Seibertron]

I'd heard some rumors about a deluxe Bumblebee variant, so I took a look for myself and yep, there is one. Behold - launch day purchase on the left, today's purchase on the right:



You can see the black paint not only gets onto the roof, but portions of the rear of the vehicle as well.

In robot mode there's no difference that's really noticeable. The shades of yellow are my lighting setup being crappy/me being not great at pictures. Trust me on this, the yellows are the same despite what it might look like here!

However, when it's in the package, the roof pieces are left flat on the back. I've posed these oddly to show you how you can identify the variant in the store. The easiest way is to look at the rear piece, as the black "leaks through" a bit even when viewed from the front. The roof panel itself can be helpful in this but it isn't as reliable.

Given that the assortment codes are the same, I don't know of any other way to identify them while in the store, outside of being a total prick and opening the package in the aisle (do not do this.)

What about the imprinted codes on the box?

[Evil Eye]

If anyone's interested, there's TLK Grimlocks and Primes in the Toy Barnhaus in Horsham. Well, there were last time I checked anyway.

[Hanzako]

This toy looks so terrible. AND for all that money. I can't understand why they are trying to market such a low quality figure in this line. The movie lines are supposedly family oriented. But lets face it: the movies themselves are more focused towards an older generation of fans. We are not going to want a crumb of plastic whose knees don't even bend for ~$40. HasTak needs to get there **** together for this line. It's getting ridiculous.

[leokearon]

So far none of the movie toys barring the Tiny Turbo Chargers have interested me. Thanks to the window and the list I got all 5 I wanted plus blackout who I got before I knew about the window and list and all for less than the price of one movie deluxe